Pandagon is daily opinion blog covering feminism, politics, and pop culture. Come for the politics, stay for the complete lack of patience for the B.S. and bad faith coming from conservative leaders and pundits.

I Know You By The Wink Of Your Eye

Were I one to accuse others of racism, I would surely point out how racist it is that a person doesn’t “know” Barack Obama after two years of being at the apex of the national spotlight, but can look into Sarah Palin’s eyes through the TV and know that this is a good, decent woman who’s been treated unfairly.

Granted, this is Camille Paglia, so Sarah Palin could also theoretically be talking to her through her minestrone, but presuming that she’s not food-talking (again), how is it that anybody knows who the tightly managed, wink-and-an-Ayers Sarah Palin actually is, particularly in light of the fact that the version of her presented in the campaign only had her doing three things in life. The first was having babies, the second was hunting large mammals, the third was facing down corrupt Republicans except for Ted Stevens and the other ones. Sure, that’s a full day for anyone, but we must also presume that there’s something else going on behind those fancy rimless glasses besides that.

There’s no way in the world that we don’t “know” Barack Obama as well as we know virtually any other politician of his prominence – unless, of course, you don’t “know” him because he doesn’t look like you or come from the same place you come from. That, my friend, is your stupid problem.

About the Author

Jesse Taylor is an attorney and blogger from the great state of Ohio. He founded Pandagon in July, 2002, and has also served on the campaign and in the administration of former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. He focuses on politics, race, law and pop culture, as well as the odd personal digression when the mood strikes.